


Sharp Edges

by ChillinVillin



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 12:02:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29313777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChillinVillin/pseuds/ChillinVillin
Summary: Kagome fears that her failure to defeat a new foe is what causes the absence of youkai in her time. Sesshoumaru is hunting a threat to his lands. Working together may be the only way to save the world they love, but neither one will make it easy for the other.
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/Sesshoumaru
Comments: 8
Kudos: 23





	1. Walking into Battle

In the relative peace of a post-Naraku world, Sesshoumaru stalked the promise of a new battle through the woods. Far from the beaten path, his unhurried pace could have easily been misconstrued as meandering. Indeed, he was prone to aimless wandering; it was a favourable past-time to fill the centuries while allowing him to redefine the borders of his ancestral territory. Today, he was hunting the whispers of a new enemy, intent to squash any new threat before it could blossom into real danger. The tip had come from a respectable source, a scout who had sworn allegiance to him shortly after his father’s death.

He did not want a repeat of Naraku.

Typically, humans were beneath his notice, but he followed their stench through a break in the trees, emerging at the edge of a stream that had been diverted and changed into a deep moat. Beyond it lay a courtyard that teemed with men in armour running drills, and above them rose the imposing figure of a towering fortress that dominated the open sky and cast the courtyard in heavy shadows.

The dark structure was built upon a stone base comprised of sharp corners and clean lines, but the western lord did not stop to marvel at the architecture or to acknowledge the men who rallied at the sight of him. A sharp war cry swelled in the air when he stepped onto the narrow bridge connecting the smooth fortress grounds to the untamed woods. Insects, he thought, as men swarmed together to create a single unit. They lunged at him. He drew poison into his fingertips, pushed the hot sensation down into his claws, and struck at the mob with a single flick of his wrist. They were dead before they reached the water.

Sesshoumaru stepped over their bodies, heedless of the second wave that formed closer to the doorway. The men parted. The troop split like an overripe peach and from the pit stepped a man that gave the daiyoukai pause.

He was clad in armour made from demon bone. Strength radiated from him in turbulent waves. He was a beast of a man: tall and wide and clad in shades of grey. He held an imposing ono in his hand, six feet in length with a head forged of shimmering black metal. He didn’t speak. His intentions were clear when he burst forward and swung the axe at Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru leaped back and the warrior gave chase, swinging his weapon with the full force of his body while the lord ducked and swerved out of the way of the blade. The man still did not speak. His mouth foamed. His eyes were feverishly bright and wild. He smelled like rotting oranges and Sesshoumaru found the scent offensive, even disorienting, as the air rushing around the axe swirled with it.

The world shifted so that his attacker was at its centre. Sesshoumaru at last drew his blade. Bakusaiga was a flash of light that should have skewered the mortal, but the man was impossibly fast. He raised his own weapon to block the sword and smashed Sesshoumaru in the face with the flat end of it. Sesshoumaru staggered. Pain blossomed across his nose. Blood ran, marring white silk.

“What is the meaning of this?” He said.

The mortal – and he was beginning to doubt that this man could be mortal – grinned.

His men launched a barrage of arrows, some flaming and some with heads of that same black metal, and when Sesshoumaru attempted to bat them away, he found his arm stuck full of arrows. Impossible.

His opponent came at him once more and Sesshoumaru was forced to use his sword to deflect. When the axe met Bakusaiga, it did not ring as metal should. The clack was a dull thud, a hollow sound, and the demon blade cracked. It splintered like old wood and a finger-sized chunk broke free.

The warrior smirked. He stepped forward, axe raised above his head.

Desperation drove Sesshoumaru into the attack.

The axe cleaved his shoulder down the bone, but white-hot pain and the memory of feeling like half a warrior without his arm couldn’t stop his claws from slicing through his enemy’s throat.

The delicate skin under the warrior’s jaw split into a red smile, his blood mingling with Sesshoumaru’s as his head fell back, separated from his shoulders, and rolled, still smirking, towards the men who abandoned their purpose and scattered. They dropped into the moat or fled into the tree line. Only a few held their positions, drawn weapons shivering like leaves as they met their fearful deaths in the doorway of a castle that was about to burn.

Sesshoumaru ignored the throbbing pain in his shoulder. He would heal. He crossed the threshold at a leisurely pace, his purpose renewed. Life still thrummed inside the fortress. He methodically cut down anyone who crossed his path. He did not blink at the violence. Those who served men who wished to kill him were as much of a threat as their master. Hate was a disease that was easily spread.

The inside of the fortress was dark. The windowless halls were lit by candles, and a servant attempting to flee knocked into one of the lights, sending the candle crashing to the floor where it licked up the wooden wall and burst into flame. Black smoke raced towards the door. The servant fell victim to his whip.

He carried on amidst shouts, not deaf to the suffering but not touched by it as he gutted the burning fortress of all life.

At the top was a man who owed him answers. Someone, he had been assured, who intended him to fail as the lord of the western lands. It was not the first time his position had been challenged. This was not the first fortress to fall to his claws, either. Word would spread about his strength and it would deter any who held similar intentions.

It needed to be done and the responsibility fell to him alone.

A group of men stood trembling at the stairs. More humans, one easily mistaken for another, all dressed in browns and dull, faded clothes, their hair a muddy sea. Even the thick smoke trailing behind him like an eager pup did not block their unpleasant scent. These were not warriors or soldiers, but valets, cleaning staff, cooks; the heart of the fortress. They were already infected.

“You should have fled,” he said. They looked at him with hate. A few shouted obscenities or choked on their fury. A cook leaped at him with a knife. The man was young, perhaps little more than a boy, and Sesshoumaru simply batted him aside. He rolled when he hit the ground, got his knees under him, and charged again. The others, emboldened by his courage, followed suit, surging down the steps as the fire rounded the corner and licked at Sesshoumaru’s heels. His whip slashed out, culling the mass, and he gripped the boy in his good hand until his neck snapped. He dropped him there, food for the flames, and ascended the staircase.

The upper rooms were silent. The household must have fled at the news of his encounter with the greater warrior out front. For one long moment, he waited, listening for the sounds of life, but was met only by the crackling of the fire as it devoured everything behind him. A portion of the structure collapsed in the distance.

He passed open doors on his way up. They gaped at him like laughing mouths. At the end of the hall was the wet noise of a heartbeat. His hand fell to his broken sword. This would be the man who opposed him. He blasted the door open, ripping it from its track, and froze.

A familiar body was crumpled on the floor. Unconscious, but alive, he surmised as he crossed to her. Inuyasha’s miko, familiar by her bright scent. He inhaled deeply. The smoke dominated the scents of the place, but Inuyasha was impossible to miss and Sesshoumaru couldn’t detect the hanyou anywhere. He tried to remember if he had ever seen the girl without his half-brother.

There wasn’t time to think with the flames raging behind him, but the unexplained ties to his brother made this all seem more menacing than it had been before. Was Inuyasha planning to usurp his rightful role? Or did the person responsible for this want to eliminate both brothers and leave the western lands defenceless against some future onslaught?

“Miko. Get up.” He commanded in sure tones.

The woman offered no answers.

A doll lay next to her, as though she had been playing with it before she fell unconscious. He nudged her with his foot. Her face fell to the side, but she didn’t stir.

The flames reached the door. Its orange fingers stretched along the open frame before it collapsed, and the entire structure gave a sharp whine.

A narrow window beckoned from the end of the room, a small slant of blue sky visible beyond the thick air of the collapsing fortress. He had lingered long enough.

Leaving her behind was an option that was easily discarded. His honour would not allow it. Every step he took away from her was a betrayal of whatever alliance they had held against Naraku, and would upset his ward. Besides, it was strange to find her here when he had been expecting an enemy. The thought occurred to him again that Inuyasha could be behind this, that he’d perhaps chosen to claim Sesshoumaru’s rightful place as he had so much else.

For the answers he knew she must have and for the brief and unpleasant history they shared, he spared her life.

Lifting her with one arm was an awkward task. Her body dangled from his hand and he held her away from him. She did not stir at the jarring movement, didn’t so much as groan at the rough handling, even when he used his foot to kick the wall open wide and the flames behind them gasped at the influx of oxygen and roared up against his back. He stepped out into the sky and the exposed air made goosebumps rise along her flesh. The unseeing eyes of the doll watched them go, its face fixed in a smile as the fire, at last, reached it.

They landed on the ground at the edge of the tree line. The moat was considerable in width; the fire would not be able to jump to the forest.

Ah-Un came at a sharp whistle. He tossed his human burden onto the creatures’ back and gave them a sharp smack to send them trundling forward. Each step made the miko bounce on the saddle. Twice, she slid off. He would turn around at the sound of her hitting the ground only to wrench her back up by the arm and stick her in the seat where she would begin to slide down again.

At last, fatigue won. He slid up onto his dragon behind her, using his thighs to hold her steady.

The thrill of battle was over and he was wounded. His arm burned. At least it is still there. Healing was sure to be more painful than the initial moment of the attack as his flesh hurried to mend itself back together. It would scab and itch within a few days’ time, and he wanted nothing more than to find a dark corner of the world and wait alone to heal, but then the miko fell back against him. She jostled his shoulder and he hissed. I cannot get rid of her until I know what she knows.

Au-Un knew the way to his retainer and ward, and after a firm press of his heels, they were air-born. The stench of blood, men, and smoke clung to the miko. It was going to be a long ride.

At least she was quiet.

\- - -

Prompt: Chie's monthly prompt for November 2020, Honour


	2. Waking in Strange Places

Sleep clung to Kagome like stubborn cobwebs. She woke slowly, aware of a warm body pressed against her hip and a rock digging into her back. Her groan didn’t stir the child who held her, but the sound echoed through her pounding head. Her limbs were heavy, and she spent a long moment staring up into the cold and distant stars, waiting for her tired body to get the message that it was time to move.

She was accustomed to sleeping on the ground; there weren’t a lot of options while traveling the feudal countryside, and Inuyasha wasn’t one for creature comforts or luxury, but normally if she passed out early someone would at least toss a blanket over her. Tonight, she was bare except for her miko garb. It was damp. Chilled dew blanketed the ground around her while a dim fire sputtered uselessly on the other side of her snuggle buddy.

Her neck popped when she turned her head. Silver hair caught her eye. “Inuyasha!”

She reached for him, and the child shifted.

Not Shippou, she realized too late, squinting in the light of dying embers. And if that’s Rin-chan, then this must be....

Her eyes trailed up from where her hands had fisted in white silk across hard thighs, past breastplate and shoulder guards, to the piercing eyes of a tenuous ally who looked like he smelled something awful.

“Erm... hi,” she offered.

“Release this Sesshoumaru.”

She gasped and staggered back, rubbing her hands together like she was washing their contact away. She could still feel his heat on her hands. “Sorry.”

The Western Lord rested against the trunk of a towering tree. The scent of smoke stuck to him, so strong that even she could smell it. He gazed over her shoulder, clearly pretending that she wasn’t there, and then he closed his eyes again and leaned his head against the bark. She waited patiently for him to acknowledge her, to explain, to say or do something, anything! He did not stir.

She shifted uncomfortably into a kneeling position. Pressed her fingers together. Shuffled forward on her knees. Finally, she couldn’t take his silence any longer. “Sesshoumaru-sama?”

He let out a nasal “hn” without opening his eyes.

“What am I doing here?”

“Annoying me.”

Anger sparked through her, but she was too exhausted to hang onto it. “How did I get here?”

“I saved you.”

“...From what?”

“You tell me.”

Kagome groaned at what was quickly growing into the least productive conversation she’d ever had. Why was he being deliberately vague? “Sesshoumaru-sama,” she tried again. “What is going on here?”

She waited for a long moment. She counted stars, breathed in the scent of smoke, studied Sesshoumaru’s striking features, and tried to think back. What happened?

The last thing she remembered was hiking up a mountain trail. The path was laid out in packed stone. It was inviting and vaguely familiar, with moss skirting the edges of the steps and creeping up the ancient trees that hemmed the path. The winding road had started up at a random point in the mountain woods, and she realized that it was one sided- it led to somewhere but from nowhere, a lost and lonely traveler’s salvation.

She was neither lost nor alone; Shippou raced ahead of her.

I’m holding him back. The thought struck her like a smack to the face.

It was just the two of them on this journey, but the reason why eluded her. Memories that were as light and elusive as smoke skirted her consciousness, like a dream she’d half-forgotten. The sun felt very far away, even though it was mid-afternoon on a cloudless fall day. The autumn chill had crept in and sank into her bones and there was no warmth in the sky or on the path. She searched for a familiar landmark, looking for Inuyasha’s unmistakable shade of red, but it was just the two of them, the yellowing leaves, and the cold blue stones of the path.

She tried to share in his excitement when he ran towards her and leaped into her arms.

“How long will you be gone?” She asked. She hated how needy the question sounded. How many times had he seen her off without complaint? How many times had she left him behind, all of them behind, and gone where they couldn’t follow? She wasn’t accustomed to being so powerless. Now she was the one without choices.

“As long as it takes to get strong. Don’t be sad. I’ll visit you!”

“You’ll be great,” she promised.

Metal jingled behind her. A monk’s staff? The others must have followed. She paused to fluff Shippou’s bangs and he jumped down to race ahead again while she waited for her friends to round the bend behind her.

And then... Nothing.

“I was taking Shippou to school.” The words were as much for her as they were for him. “He asked me to take him. I wanted to get away.”

“From what?”

Unease unfurled in her stomach and all she could do was shake her head.

It was supposed to be an easy journey, one that was relatively safe. “Where’s Shippou?”

Sesshoumaru gazed at her with a weighty solemnity that made her pulse race. “Go to sleep. We will look into this further in a few days' time.”

“I need to go now! Shippou is- he could be- I don’t even think I told Inuyasha where we were going!”

“I cannot travel. You will wait for me.”

Panic set its claws into her and she hissed, shooting up. “You and your brother – you think you can always tell everyone else what to do! But it isn’t your decision to make! I’m going!”

His eyes flashed red but he made no move to follow her as she stalked off into the dark woods.

\- - -

Prompt: Chie's monthly prompt for December 2020, Star

\- - -

A/N: Thanks for reading! =)


	3. Drowning in the Cold

The small creatures that filled the night with sound gave Sesshoumaru a wide berth, so Kagome knew the moment that she stepped outside of his proximity. Insects began to chirp, despite the late fall season. An owl whooped from the branches of a gnarled tree. Something small and quick rustled the leaves that scattered the barren ground. The Western Lord was not a warm man, but even the air seemed colder once she was alone. She drew her clothes closer to her as the damp air sank into her bones. The frail fingers of a bare branch gripped at her hair, which was matted, dirty, and still reeked of smoke and she spent a long minute fighting to free herself.

This was a mistake. What kind of idiot marched out alone into unknown territory without even her bow and arrows? She didn’t even know what part of Japan they were in. She’d seen Sesshoumaru fly. Theoretically they could be anywhere.

Was he going to come for her? Inuyasha would have been there already, probably making things worse but at least ensuring her safety. If he was around in the first place, and not off solving problems with Miroku, or helping another village, or running errands. This wasn’t the first time she’d been left alone since choosing the Feudal Era over Tokyo, but it was the first time she’d been truly alone in the wilderness in a long, long time.

The uncertainty pressed itself deeper into her heart as her ire died down. She stepped into a hole and screeched as she pitched forward, landing hard on her hands and knees. Palms stinging, knees burning, she sagged against some meaty roots that jutted up out of the earth and rested her face against the cold bark. Her eyelids were heavy. Her arms and legs were like lead. She reached for some spark of energy, but came away empty handed. Groaning, she pushed herself up.

What the hell was wrong with her?

The woods loomed around her and she shuddered. A river gurgled behind the trees, and she followed the sound. A river was a path. People set up camps and civilizations along the water, and she was a priestess out alone after dark. She’d find help, a place to sleep for the night, and then directions towards home. With any luck, she’d run across Inuyasha before too long. He was probably already on her trail.

Where was he?

Again, uncertainty gripped her. The last thing she remembered was following a bright path with Shippou, his hair burning a brilliant orange in the bleak landscape. A monk’s staff jingled behind her, and she assumed that Miroku followed her. It felt like old times. She frowned, rubbed a sore spot on her temple, and swore. Was she remembering what happened before she lost consciousness, or something from before the jewel was complete and their adventure was done? Was this memory real, or just wishful thinking?

She dragged her feet in the stones at the river and knelt to drink, suddenly parched. Her stomach rumbled as she cupped her hands and drank in deep gulps, noticing for the first time how parched she was, how raw her throat had become.

Her headache receded, but her stomach started to ache. She was tempted to wade into the frigid water and wash herself, but she had no way to warm up after, so she settled for rubbing sand along her skin, over her face and arms until she felt less gunky.

Something rustled behind her and she whipped around, gripping a large rock.

“Hello?”

Her voice was shaky and the cold water had left her throat raw. She scanned the tree line. Something moved in the underbrush, and she pushed some of her spiritual power into the rock. It was difficult. Her power felt far away, curled so deep inside of her that she could barely brush it.

Panic set in and she threw the rock in the direction of the sound, picking up another one. It made contact with something, and a small “ow” made her pause, despite her rabbit heart.

“Who’s there?” Kagome asked, a bit softer, and the bushes parted to reveal Rin. The child rubbed her shoulder.

“It’s not nice to throw rocks,” she chastised.

Kagome deflated into the riverbank. “I’m sorry. I thought you were a demon.”

Rin grinned at her. Her missing baby teeth had begun to grow in, but there was a gap that made her sweet smile all the more charming. “Sesshoumaru-sama and Jaken-sama are demons, but Rin-chan is just a girl.”

“You should probably head back to your camp.”

Rin stretched out a small hand. “Come with me Kagome-sama.”

“Just Kagome is fine.” The child continued to smile and hold her hand out, until Kagome relented and folded their palms together. “Will Sesshoumaru-sama be mad at me?”

“No. He doesn’t get angry very often. And I think he’s injured.” Rin spoke very quietly, as though she was betraying her lord and was afraid the night would gobble the secret up. She pressed her other hand to her lips.

“I think I’m lost.” Kagome admitted in the same tone, though her voice was still hoarse.

“You can’t be lost when Sesshoumaru-sama is there! He always knows exactly where he is, and if you’re with him then you’ll know too!”

Kagome couldn’t picture using the distant lord as her compass, but Rin’s faith was reassuring. She allowed the little girl to pull her onto a game path between the trees, but she hadn’t stepped onto the flattened grass before something sent her heart spiking and she reared back, yanking Rin behind her.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m not sure,” Kagome admitted, herding Rin back towards the river.

A hulking form stepped between the trunks. It was so wide that it bent the trees as it brushed them, snapping branches off. Kagome assessed it. It was big, and strong, but its bulk made it slow. It was built of something hard and faceted, like rock, and moss grew up its side. It had hands that were human in nature, with blunt fingertips, and up its tree-trunk arms was a thick neck that held a mossy head. It looked at them with glowing eyes. It threw its head back and roared before it charged them. Rin screamed and ducked down with Kagome following suit.

They narrowly avoided a swipe from its hand. It lunged all at once, and when it made impact with the ground it shook the forest floor. Rin and Kagome screeched and went down. “I think it’s after me,” Kagome said. “Go back to Sesshoumaru!”

Rin nodded and took off, but the creature swiveled, faster than Kagome expected, and snatched Rin up. She was dwarfed by its massive hand. Kagome reached into herself and grasped at what little power she could find, but she was barely able to make the rock she picked up glow. It sputtered at the last moment and she threw it as hard as she could at the creature. The rock sparked against its flesh and left a small round mark. It roared in pain, and she noticed several similar marks across its torso. It turned towards Kagome but she was winded and couldn’t move. Rin darted to her, crashed into her, and the two of them pitched into the water. The river that had seemed so shallow from shore swallowed them whole and carried them downstream while the demon seethed on land.

The current carried the girls through a wide chunk of the woods. Kagome clung tightly to Rin with one arm, struggling to keep them above water as they were tossed around and churned under. She felt like a yolk caught in an eggbeater, like they would split at any moment, and her hand shot out and caught the rough branch of a fallen tree. Her arms jerked and her hand slipped on Rin’s wrist before she felt sharp nails scrabble against her forearm. Rin climbed up her and then pulled herself up on top of the tree and started pulling on Kagome’s arm. It took everything that Kagome had to pull her torso up. She laid for a long moment across the log with her cheek pressed against the surface, while Rin picked her way to the water’s edge and gazed around them curiously.

“Don’t worry. Sesshoumaru-sama or Jaken-sama will come soon.”

If that was the bright side of her situation then she needed to get moving. Kagome groaned and scrambled up onto the log. It shifted with her weight and Rin yelled just before it gave way. Kagome leapt for the shore and hit the rocky bank hard, rolling, finally, to safety.

She forced herself up onto her knees and looked around. This spot was almost indistinguishable from their previous position, excepting the angry hunk of youkai trying to kill them. The woods were filled with the forest’s song again, proof that Sesshoumaru was still out of reach, and the river had widened just a bit. She could hear the crashing of a waterfall in the distance.

That was a close one.

“Rin?” She croaked. She looked around but the little girl was nowhere to be found. “Rin!” Some bushes trembled and Rin came skipping out. She was soaking wet with her hair full of leaves, and it looked like the night was beginning to take its toll on her too, despite her chipper nature. “Don’t run off,” Kagome pleaded. Rin padded to her and took her hand, tugging gently in the direction she’d come from.

“There’s a path, and a temple!” Rin exclaimed. “It would be best to wait for Sesshoumaru-sama, but you look like you need a rest.” A wide yawn distorted her words.

Wait for Sesshoumaru my butt, Kagome thought. Her socks squelched when she began to walk. Her shoes had been lost to the river. “And some dry clothes.” Her stomach rumbled. “And food.” Rin nodded and led her through the trees. It was a short walk from the river to the temple.

There was a small shrine, which Kagome acknowledged on her way through to the larger doors of a large dwelling. “Hello?” Her voice was quiet.

“Hello!” Rin called. She had wrapped herself around Kagome’s arm and begun to shiver. Kagome touched her clammy forehead and stepped forward.

“We’re coming in!”

The door slid open without any hesitation and the girls peered into the dark temple. There was no indication of anyone living there. No one had lit the candles for the night. There was no fire in the hearth. It was empty except for a wind that rattled through the room. Kagome followed the breeze to a door to a courtyard that had been left open. There was nothing outside but the looming, silent trees and the animals that inhabited them. She closed the door and felt her way back to Rin.

“Help me find some firewood.”

Rin scurried through and began rummaging in some low shelves. She made a small sound of triumph and presented a kit for starting a fire. Kagome took them and went to the hearth, but her hands shook. Finally, a spark took and she shuddered at the sudden release of heat.

“Kagome?” Rin’s voice was suddenly small and her hand was on Kagome’s arm. “There’s a man over there.”

Kagome looked longingly at the fire, but went to the man anyway. He wore a monk’s garb. At first, he looked dead, but Kagome felt for a pulse and he stirred. She looked down into a pair of dim brown eyes and allowed him to take her hand. His skin was soft. He was young, she realized. He clung to a rag doll. Eyes had been stitched into it and they watched Kagome with their unnatural, unblinking stare.

“Are you sick?” She asked, casting a look back at Rin who was huddled next to the fire shivering. She’d pulled off her dripping yukata and laid it out next to the fire. Kagome leaned in to hear his answer.

“No. Just weak and tired.”

“What happened?”

“It’s foggy. There was a woman. She needed a place to stay.”

“Youkai?”

He paused. “No. Are the others… are they dead?”

Kagome swallowed. There was no one else here. The man’s hand went slack, like the last of his energy had been used in this one conversation. Kagome felt for a pulse, but he was gone. Silent, still. Rin had found some blankets and Kagome threw one over him, saying a soft prayer before joining Rin next to the fire.

“Should we look for Sesshoumaru-sama?” Rin asked. Kagome had also stripped down and she had put on some of the monk’s clothes. Rin was bundled up as best as Kagome could manage. She wanted to make hot tea, but she couldn’t stand going back out into the cold, so they ate dried meat that had been stored near the blankets and Kagome ignored the way it made her throat burn.

The temple slowly warmed, but her clothes were still wet and every so often a chill passed through Rin and made her teeth chatter. “No. If Sesshoumaru is worried, he’ll find us. Go to sleep.” They could bury the monk in the morning and see if anyone else was left. Kagome couldn’t fight the feeling that something was watching her, but she was so tired that she drifted off into a deep sleep.

Prompt: Chie’s monthly prompt for February 2021, Sweet

A/N: Thanks for reading! I rewrote this chapter six times before I figured out what I wanted from it, but I now have 40 chapters planned out! I’m aiming for more frequent updates now that I know where Kagome and Sesshoumaru are headed. <3


	4. Picking Potatoes in the Sunshine

Warmth permeated the temple air, and Kagome awoke toasty and comfortable. Rin and her clothes were gone and for a split moment Kagome worried. She sprang up and threw the door open, squinting outside in the bright morning light. 

“Kagome!” Her heart stuttered and then calmed at the delight in the little girl’s voice. “Look what I found!” Rin stooped in a garden bed. Her sleeves were pinned up, and she was digging. She presented a pile of long purple potatoes. Kagome’s stomach cramped; she couldn’t remember the last meal she ate, but she had the sense that it had been days ago.

“Those look delicious.” 

“When we get back to camp, Jaken-sama will roast them up for us!” Rin began to sing a little song about her lord and caretaker, and Kagome didn’t fight the smile that tugged at her mouth. She couldn’t imagine that Sesshoumaru and Jaken were great company, but Rin’s love for them was undeniable. The morning was uncharacteristically warm for late fall and the temple was beautiful. There was no sign of a struggle here. Herbs popped up beyond the potatoes, though the ones at the end of the bed were black, and Kagome plundered the good stuff to create a small collection. She was bruised, and a little sore, but Kaede had taught her how to make a paste to help dull her aches and pains. The gardens were well loved. There weren’t even any weeds to pull. She reached out to pluck a clump of yellow flowers, but they wilted as soon as her hand touched them and she yanked it back. Her collection looked fine, but as she focused on the garden she saw the wilt spread towards her. She unfolded herself and helped Rin gather the potatoes, and together they watched the green shrivel into nothing.

“Do you think these are safe to eat?” Rin asked. Kagome’s stomach rumbled. At this point she didn’t much care if they were safe or not, but she squinted at them anyway.

“I’m not sure. We can take them back to camp and see if whatever that was infected them. It came on rather suddenly”. With their purpose gone, the girls stood in the yard. What was she waiting for? Kagome didn’t know. “Have you seen anyone else this morning?” 

Rin confirmed her concerns. “It’s just us.”

“Strange. The monk said that there were others here.”

“I haven’t seen anyone. What do you think happened to him?” 

A chill crept down Kagome’s spine as they stared at the rotted garden. “I don’t know. It doesn’t look like there was a fight here.”

“Perhaps Jaken-sama will know. He knows many things.” 

Kagome doubted it, but she let Rin lapse back into song without saying anything. She wanted to bury the body before they could follow the river back to camp. What were the odds that Sesshoumaru was pissed that Rin was missing? She wanted to be happy with Rin’s company and the lovely day, but something gnawed at her. She tried to shake it off. It wasn’t strange to be out of sorts, all things considered, but there was something else, something deeper. She hurried inside and changed back into her clothes. Burying the monk wasn’t going to be possible: She could barely drag the futon with him on it. She settled for saying a short prayer for him before she stepped outside and addressed Rin.

“Are you ready to head back?”

Rin hummed and collected her potatoes into a cloth, rolling it into a makeshift sack. “Ready!”

Her enthusiasm put some spring back into Kagome’s step, but they barely made it to the edge of the grounds before the trees shook. Rin fell to the ground and her potatoes spilled, rolling into the treeline. 

The trees bent to the side, and the demon from last night emerged. 

It was as terrifying as Kagome remembered: like a giant rock come to life in the form of a man. It bellowed and Rin screeched. Kagome grabbed a potato and lobbed it at the demon, but even well-rested, her power sputtered out. A laugh rolled through the demon.

Rin gripped her hand, and they ran back towards the temple. It followed, each step making the ground shudder. “Get in the temple,” Kagome commanded and pushed Rin towards the structure. The little girl looked back towards her as Kagome screamed at the beast. “Hey ugly! This way"! It stretched its hand towards her and she ducked, narrowly avoiding being struck.

She clutched desperately at her power, tried to pull it into her fingertips, but it seemed almost to shrink away from her. The beast swung at her again, and she jumped behind a tree that snapped with the force of the slam. The ground shook. Kagome tumbled onto her hands and knees. It loomed over her.

“Hey ugly!” The echoed scream came from behind it and it swiveled towards Rin, who was pelting it with the last of her potatoes. It took a step towards Rin, and then another, before breaking into a sprint. It was too fast for Kagome to do anything but watch in horror as Rin screamed. “Sesshoumaru-sama!”

The Western Lord burst from the trees as though Rin’s terror had summoned him, and maybe it had. He was the silver light of a blade cutting through air. He didn’t draw his sword, but beat the demon back with his whip, neatly putting himself between Rin and her attacker.

“Thank the gods,” Kagome hummed. His piercing eyes slanted her way, and she gulped at the rising fury there. They were tinged with a red she hadn’t seen since they were in his father’s grave. The demon spoke for the first time, his voice as deep and gravelly as rolling thunder. 

“Why are you helping these humans?”

“I do not need to explain myself to you.” Sesshoumaru said. 

“Do you not know what they have done? The damage they’ve caused?”

“We didn’t do anything to you!” Kagome yelled. The demon turned towards her. 

“The holy men who passed through these woods have caused irreversible damage. I’ve protected this forest since I was born. You are one of them!”

It ran at her, but jerked at the end of Sesshoumaru’s whip, which had wrapped around its neck. A crack formed across the stone-like flesh. Beyond them, Kagome saw the blackened garden.

“Wait! Wait!" Kagome yelled. “Sesshoumaru, wait!” He didn’t acknowledge her. “Don’t you see that something is wrong here? Look!” She jabbed a finger at the offending piece of land and as if one cue, the grass in front of the temple browned and shrank to nothing. "The monks are all missing, and there’s not a single spark of spiritual power anywhere in this temple and he knows what’s wrong! Please!”

He growled, but loosened the whip. The demon fell to his knees with a resounding bang.

“What happened?” Kagome asked. She walked towards it, taking care to stay out of the range of his long arms.

“Three days ago, humans like you came through here. They sucked all the power out of this place. They killed every youkai in my forest. I tried to fight them, but ultimately, I had to run.”

“They were humans?” Sesshoumaru asked, and he looked like he was disgusted the beast had lost his fight.

“They sang with power; they burned the very earth with it. The forest is dying.”

He was right. The grass had lost its lushness. What wasn’t dead was quickly dying. Even the trees were losing their leaves, one by one. The wind carried the scent of rot to the adventurers.

“What happened to the monks from here?” Kagome asked.

“I assumed they were part of it.”

Sesshoumaru’s eyes locked onto the demon and then he swivelled on his heel and stalked back into the healthy-looking part of the forest. “Protect your woods. Miko, Rin, come.”

The demon’s quiet words trailed after them like a forlorn pup. “There will be nothing left to protect.”

Sesshoumaru set an easy pace, which Kagome assumed was for Rin’s sake, but the little girl cast several long looks at him with her brows pinched together and her bottom lip tucked between her teeth. They made it the edge of camp before he folded in on himself with a grunt and collapsed on the ground.

They rushed to his side. Kagome put her hands on his shoulder and gasped when it came back coated in dark blood. “Help me turn him,” she said. Jaken complied without complaint and let her brush his hair off his shoulder. The fine silver strands were drenched with blood. She dragged the stained material off his shoulder and gasped. His pale skin turned dark at the edges of a wound that went to the bone.

“What happened to him?” Kagome asked.

Jaken sputtered. “This happened when he came back with you!” His staff spit out sparks. Kagome hissed when they touched her hand. 

“Watch it!”

She pulled some of the herbs out of her pocket, silently praising the gods she’d gotten to them before they’d been lost with the rest of the garden. “Rin, grind these up into a paste with some water. Jaken, do you have anything to stitch this up with? Thread or something?”

“My lord does not require stitches! Any injuries will heal flawlessly on their own.”

Kagome pressed her finger to the dark flesh. The wound was hot. She moved her palm to his forehead and he swatted at her weakly, scraping across her arm with his claws. She pushed his good arm down, ignoring his loud growl.

“Hush!” Red bled into the whites of his eyes. “Don’t be stubborn! You’re injured. Jaken, I need cold water.” The imp looked at his lord, whose attention was locked onto Kagome. “Go!” She snapped. She sprang up and went to Ah-Un. The dragon eyed her warily. She spoke to it in bold tones. “I need something from your side bags. Don’t bite me or your lord might die.”

The heads hissed at each other, then let her pass, and she slipped her hands into their leather side saddle. It was mostly dried meat, a water skein, some oil for Sesshoumaru’s blades. She grumbled until she finally found a few things for sewing. A thin leather cord and a hook that would work as a needle. Sesshoumaru groaned when he saw her returning to him.

“Priestess, if you touch me with that I will kill you.”

“If I don’t, then you’ll be dead.”

Rin and Jaken rushed back into the clearing with water and the herb paste. “Traitors,” he growled, and Jaken immediately fell to groveling. Rin rushed to grab the bowl of water before it spilled and ran to Kagome’s side. 

“Sesshoumaru-sama, you are very strong, but you’re also very hurt. Please let Kagome help you.”

“No.” 

Kagome put the rag in the water and reached up to clean his shoulder. He twisted away from her and tried to rise. Rin shocked Kagome by reaching out and grasping his obi.

“Rin!” Jaken gasped. She grit her teeth.

“Enough!” Kagome said. “If Sesshoumaru-sama wants to lose his arm again, then that’s his choice.” She dropped her things and stood, brushing her knees off and walking to the other side of the clearing. She took a seat against a tree and closed her eyes.

There was a long moment of silence, and then Sesshoumaru spoke through his teeth. “You may assist this Sesshoumaru, but there will be no stitches. I will heal too quickly, and they’ll be stuck.”

Kagome smiled. “Thanks.” She walked back to him and set to cleaning his wounds. He grit his teeth and didn’t make a sound, even when she jostled his arm. She showed Rin how to dress the wound, how to pack it with the herb paste. His eyes watered from the strong antiseptic smell. 

“There!” She patted his thigh when she finished and he snarled again. She rolled her eyes and packed the stuff up, returning it to Ah-Un and even giving them a light scratch when they booped her with their noses. Rin bounced up to her.

“I’m going to go look for food, would you like to come with me?”

Kagome sighed. She was still starving, but she was grimy again, and now she had bad blood on her. “You go ahead. I need a bath.” She ignored Sesshoumaru, even as he seethed behind her and picked her way back to the river. 

There was nothing around to attack her this time. The woods were blessedly silent. She stripped and laid her clothes on a flat rock that jutted out into the river, and waded into the frigid water. Goosebumps broke out along her skin, but she still took a deep breath and ducked underwater. She stayed well away from the current, remaining on the safe side of the rock, and washed as quickly as she could while being incredibly thorough. Layers of dirt, blood, and grime lifted off her skin and out of her hair and drifted downstream.

She ducked down again to scrub her hair, and when she popped back up there was a jingle behind her. Relief rocked through her. “Miroku?” 

Purple robes appeared from between the trees, but the man who leered at her was not her friend. He was taller, thinner, his hair shaved down to nothing. She reached for her clothes on top of the rock.

“Hello priestess.” The man greeted her in a deadpan voice. “I apologize for speaking to you while you’re undressed, but I needed to talk to you while you were away from your friends. My mistress has a proposal for you.”

“Your mistress?”

“Akira-sama is powerfu. She has a grand vision of this world without any youkai in it. And she wants your assistance.”

“I would never want to live in a world like that!” Kagome gasped, but something nagged at her. Wasn’t that the world she came from? 500 years in the future and demon-free? Hadn’t she always wondered where the demons went? What had become of them? They could endure for centuries, but she’d never sensed a single one. 

“I see. I must urge you to reconsider. Akira-sama has no mercy for traitors to the human race.”

Kagome lingered behind the rock, watching him as he took a step towards her. His staff jingled in the cold breeze that blew across the water. Her heart stuttered, and she considered stepping back into the current again, letting it wash her down to the temple from the night before.

“Are you from that temple? The one that was empty? What happened there?”

“Lady Akira has shown us a better way.”

“Your friend died.”

“He was a fool who refused to see the light.”

They were startled by a cheerful cry from the woods. “Kagome! Look what I found for lunch!”

The monk looked back at Kagome. “It’s a shame about what happened to your friend’s school,” he said, and then he stepped back into the shadows and disappeared, leaving Kagome alone to shrug her clothes on and rush back to camp.

Prompt: N/A

Author’s note: Thanks for reading!


End file.
